The Round Room
by Kaylaelfmaiden
Summary: Sam and Dean look into the case of a girl who went missing from "The Round Room" as the locals call it.
1. Chapter 1

"Come on, Sam, live a little!"

Sam sighed. They should have never come to Las Vegas. It was a bad call on his part. He should have known once they were done with their current case Dean would want to kill some time in the casinos. Unfortunately, a vengeful ghost was haunting a wedding chapel on the strip dressed as Elvis Presley and killing the grooms. It didn't go down without one heck of a fight – including Dean's neck almost getting stretched another inch or two, but they were never going to talk about that. How was Sam going to convince Dean they needed to keep moving? There was another case on the line here. "It's in California . . ." he said slowly.

Dean perked up. "California? Now we're talking! Sunshine, beaches, hot women . . ." He rubbed his hands together excitedly. "Where in California?"

Sam cleared his throat. "A town called Sierra Valley," he said slowly.

Dean frowned. "Sierra Valley? That sounds like a small ho-dunk town in the mountains surrounded by trees."

"Yeah . . . that's because it is."

Dean looked at Sam incredulously and then threw his hands up in the air. "Man, come on!"

"Hey, I look for cases – not places to hook up with women," Sam defended.

"You're no fun," Dean huffed. "Alright, what's the case?"

Sam looked at the article he had pulled up on his laptop. "Apparently, a group of kids were messing around at a concrete Round Room and one of the girls was kidnapped by people wearing white robes. The police searched the area for a week but they didn't turn up anything. Then someone who lives up there called saying they saw candlelight in the Round Room and then heard a scream, but by the time the police got up there all they could find was some blood and used-up candles."

"What's so special about this Round Room?" Dean asked.

"Well, supposedly it was a place Anton LaVey would take his followers to perform sacrifices."

"Oh, that's just great!" Dean grumbled. "We have to deal with a bunch of Satanists now?"

"Well, we don't know if that's what is going on here," Sam pointed out. "We don't have all the information yet."

"All the same, I'll never understand why people think it's a good idea to worship the devil. If they saw half of what we've seen they'd stay as far away as possible."

"Yeah." Sam closed his laptop. "Unfortunately, it would take a miracle to talk any sense into people." He put his laptop away and then looked up at Dean. "So, when do you want to go?" he asked.

"Can we stay just one day?" Dean pleaded.

Sam shook his head. Dean could be so childish sometimes. He had been looking forward to spending some down time in Vegas. Actually, Sam had been looking forward to it as well. They had been taking case after case for a couple months and both of them had agreed to take a breather after the Vegas case. But evil never takes a break. "One day," Sam caved.

Dean was out the door before Sam could say "Idjit". He would let Dean have his fun for one day. Then it was back to work.


	2. Chapter 2

Sierra Valley was a medium/small town. With 12,000 people – and counting – driving could be a nightmare. Sam was slouched low in his seat with his face buried in a local newspaper as Dean yelled and honked seemingly every five minutes at a new car that cut in front of him or ran through a stop sign. "What is wrong with the people in this town?!" he growled.

"Most of them moved up from the city," Sam explained.

"I hate city people!" Dean complained.

Finally, after navigating through the maze of the small downtown area, they found the cheap hotel Sam had read about. Dean parked the Impala and then he and Sam got out and went inside.

The girl behind the counter looked up at them with a rather bored expression – like she was in the middle of her shift and just wanted to be anywhere but there. "Hi, we'd like a room please," Sam requested. "Do you have anything with two queen beds?"

"Sure," the girl answered. "Smoking or non-smoking?"

"Non-smoking."

"And how long will you be staying with us?"

"A week."

Sam paid for the room and then got their keys, as well as directions to the hotel parking lot around the corner. They returned to the Impala and got in. "Well, wasn't she just a bundle of charm?" Dean commented as he drove around to the back of the hotel.

"How would you like to work a dead end job making minimum wage and having to deal with all kinds of characters?" Sam asked.

"Um . . . we do work a dead end job dealing with all kinds of characters," Dean pointed out, "and we don't even get paid for it."

Sam had to admit he had a point. "Touché."

Dean parked the Impala and then he and Sam got out and gathered their bags.

Their room was located on the third floor. For how cheap the cost was the room was actually amazingly clean. Two queen beds had been made up with dark blue comforters and pillows – a stark contrast to the white walls. A towel, hand towel, and washcloth were neatly piled at the foot of each bed. Nestled on the washcloth was a small bar of soap and bottles of shampoo and conditioner. A small table between the two beds was the only other piece of furniture in the room. Framed old pictures of the hotel and town back in the old days decorated the walls. On the other side of the room was a doorway leading to the bathroom.

"Cute," Dean commented indifferently.

The boys deposited their bags on the beds and then Sam grabbed his laptop and he and Dean left the room. In all their years of hunting, they had discovered that the best place to get information about local stories was at coffee shops. It seemed everyone and their grandmother was more open to talking at places where large amounts of coffee could be consumed.

After some discussion, the brothers decided on the local Starbucks. Sam got directions from the receptionist and then they set off in the Impala in search of the well-known coffee shop. Luckily, they had no trouble finding the place, but parking was a whole other matter. The parking lot barely had enough room for two cars to pass. The spaces were tight and backing out was a nightmare with people just speeding through the lot without being mindful of the back-up lights.

After driving through the parking lot without finding an open spot – and almost getting hit by some punk coming out of the drive-thru, Dean drove across the street into the Raley's parking lot where he found a spot overlooking the street. They got out and walked back across the street to the shop. People either sat at tables or stood around talking. That particular Starbucks was one of the more spacious ones Dean and Sam had ever seen. While Sam found a table to sit at, Dean walked over to the counter to order drinks.

"Hi, what can I get started for you?" the barista behind the counter asked.

"I'll have a regular coffee, black," Dean answered, "and a mocha." He paid for the drinks and then the girl went to work preparing them. Dean caught her glancing at him every once in a while and then quickly looking away while trying to hide a smile. Yep, he still had it.

Finally, she called out his name and passed him two cups. "Will that be all?" she asked.

Dean flashed her his charming smile as he said, "My brother and I are new in town and I was just thinking it might be nice if we had the phone number of someone who lived here just in case we got lost or something. You wouldn't happen to be willing to give me yours, would you?"

The girl smiled and then nodded at the cups in his hands. "You might want to drink those before they get too cold."

Dean winked. "Thanks." He walked over to where Sam was sitting.

Sam briefly glanced up as Dean sat down. "Let me guess, you've got her number in your pocket."

Dean looked at him. "What? No."

Confusion flashed across Sam's face. "No?"

Dean shook his head. "Sammy, you're so unimaginative," he berated. Then he grinned at his brother. "She wrote it on my cup."

Sam shook his head. Dean never changed. "Okay, well I found some stuff on this Round Room. Apparently, it's considered a haunted place even though the evidence is kind of shaky."

"What else have you got?"

"Well, according to the stories, Anton LaVey apparently used to take his followers up to the Round Room back in the 60's to perform séances and rituals. Then there are rumors of murders happening over the years by people in white robes, but no bodies have ever been found. Most people who go up there say they get this strange, uncomfortable feeling like the place is haunted or there are evil forces dwelling there. Paranormal Investigators who have gone up have reported feeling 'negative energy' but they've never come up with anything concrete."

"Alright, well, do we know how to get up there?"

Sam waved a piece of paper with some writing on it. "Yep."

"Let's go check this place out."

Gathering up their things, they walked back to the Impala and took off. Sam's directions led them past the fairgrounds and down a long, winding road. After twenty minutes, the road split and they turned left. They drove past the dump and then the road narrowed considerably and took them up into the hills. Dean began to wonder where Sam was taking them when it appeared they were heading out into the boonies. Houses were surrounded by acres of open, flat land. Eventually, the mountains started coming in. Ten minutes later they turned left at another fork and the road narrowed into a single lane. The forest closed in as close to the road as it could. The asphalt became riddled with pot holes and then gave way to gravel altogether. They hadn't passed by a single driveway in the last five minutes. Sam started watching the road carefully and finally instructed Dean to park. Dean pulled off to the side as far as he could and then parked the Impala.

They got out and looked around. "I don't see the so-called Round Room," Dean observed.

"The directions said there would be a line of rocks across the path," Sam explained. He looked around and then pointed back a little ways. Sure enough, a line of rocks could be seen at the head of a wide path.

"Now we're talking," Dean commented.

They walked over to the path and then followed it about twenty yards when it dead-ended into the Round Room. The Round Room was literally a concrete round room with no roof. A single opening was the only way in or out.

The boys looked around, allowing themselves a moment to take it all in. Graffiti littered the walls with everything from aliens destroying cities to satanic messages to Bible verses to cuss words. Beer bottles, cigarettes, leaves, and all manner of junk littered the floor. In the middle of the room was a large white pentagram. Wax and red splotches surrounded the star. Dean and Sam looked at each other. "I don't like the looks of this," Sam commented. "Those stories are starting to sound pretty realistic."

Dean silently nodded. "Let's check the outside," he suggested. He didn't feel like staying in there a minute more. There was no roof, but he felt like he was struggling to breathe in there.

Thankfully, Sam didn't object. They went back outside and walked around the perimeter but didn't turn up anything.

"Well, so far this has been a bust," Dean sighed.

"We should widen our search," Sam suggested.

"Alright, Sherlock, where do you want to start?"

Sam ignored his brother's playful jab as he looked around. "Well, I think it's safe to assume the police would have thoroughly searched this side of the road so let's try the other side." He briefly glanced at Dean as he said, "Come, Watson, the game is afoot," and then he took off down the path.

Dean smiled. It was always a good day when Sam returned his jabs in kind.

They crossed to the other side of the road where they found another well-trodden path. Following it, they came out of the trees and manzanita bushes to wide open space at the edge of a cliff. They could see for hundreds of miles – even the mountains looming up in the distance, their tips disappearing into the overcast sky. The sight was breathtaking.

"Wow," Sam whispered.

Dean had to admit it was pretty cool. Walking over to the edge of the cliff, he peered over and studied the terrain below. "Hey, Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"I think there's a road down there."

Sam joined Dean, looking where he was pointing. Sure enough, beyond some rocks he could just make out a dirt road with tractor tracks on it. It looked like it had been made a while ago.

The boys cautiously made their way down the cliff, sometimes following a trail and sometimes free-climbing. Eventually, they stumbled out onto the road and looked around. While they couldn't tell where it came from, it was obvious by the wall of dirt a couple yards to their right where the road's destination was.

"I wonder where that goes."

"There's only one way to find out." Dean tapped Sam on the shoulder as he passed him on the way down the road yelling, "Last one down's a rotten egg!"

"Don't run down the hill!" Sam yelled back. "You're going to fall and –"

Before Sam could finish his sentence, Dean suddenly tripped over a rock and biffed in a spectacular shower of leaves and dirt. Sam cringed as the dust slowly settled. "Are you okay?" he called.

For a moment there was silence. Then he heard, "I'm okay." Dean slowly picked himself up, grunting and muttering, "Ow!" every once in a while. He was covered in red dust and leaves were all tangled up in his hair.

Sam caught up with him, biting his bottom lip to keep from laughing. Dean shot him a glare as he brushed himself off. Unable to contain it any longer Sam burst out laughing, much to Dean's annoyance. "Shut up!" Dean grumbled. Pushing past Sam, he continued down the road.

"I'm sorry, man, I can't help it!" Sam giggled.

The road switch-backed all the way down the mountain to the point where the guys started wondering how they were going to get back up. Just when they started doubting there would ever be an end to the road, the ground leveled out into a landing with a white stone bench. A trail led down the hill a short ways and then connected up with another dirt road. When the boys reached the second dirt road they stopped and looked around.

"Where are we?" Sam asked.

"That's what I'd like to know." Dean pulled a small handful of leaves out of his hair and threw them as hard as he could. A sudden whirring sound suddenly caught his attention and he looked around trying to locate where it was coming from.

"That sounds like a weed-whacker," Sam said after a minute.

Dean nodded in agreement. "Come on," he said as he took off running down the road to the left.

Sam followed and they jogged around the bend only to slow to a walk. A house appeared to their left up on the hill a short ways. As they followed the road further they came across another house nestled in a grove of trees. Then, to their surprise, they found a bunch of cabins in a clearing. A stage was situated near the road with benches spread out before it. To their right was a large field and at the far end of the field was what looked like a shooting range of some sort.

"Dude, I think we just walked into a camp," Sam said.

"This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder." Dean suddenly located the owner of the weed-whacker, grabbed his brother's arm, and pointed. The person appeared to be a young woman based on the boot-cut, paint-splattered jeans and the brown pony tail sticking out from underneath the helmet. She was working over by a fence separating the field from the cabins.

They walked over to her only to pause behind her back, unsure of how to proceed without startling her. Finally, Sam summoned up the courage to reach out and tap her on the shoulder.

The girl jumped in surprise and then glanced behind her. Trying to appear friendly, Sam smiled and waved. The girl looked from Sam to Dean and then turned the weed-whacker off and removed the helmet with sound-dampening headphones attached. "Can I help you?" she asked slowly.

Sam took the lead. "Hi. Sorry, we were out hiking and we kind of got lost," he explained. "Can you tell us where we are?"

The girl relaxed a bit, though she still looked like she was keeping an eye out for trouble. "This is Sparrow Mountain camps," she answered.

Sam nodded thoughtfully. "I'm sorry, I still have no idea where we are," he admitted with a laugh.

"Oh, no, it's okay. Do you remember where you started?"

Sam scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, um . . . we were at the Round Room," he answered.

The girl looked surprise. "Oh, well, that's just straight up at the top of the hill, but I didn't think people could still get up there after that girl went missing."

"Do you know anything about it?"

"Oh, sure, I've been up there lots of times."

"What can you tell us?" Dean prodded, speaking up for the first time.

"Well, the most popular story is that Anton LaVey moved his followers up here back in the 60's and used the Round Room to perform rituals and stuff."

Sam frowned. "Is there more than one story?" he asked.

"Of course there is. That whole place is a mystery. Besides Anton LaVey there's also the people in white robes who take people up there and sacrifice them. Or there is the guy who was building a round house that could turn 360 degrees so he could always watch the sky because he believed that particular spot was a landing pad for aliens. Or there's the story my friend Darick likes to tell about a guy who was building a place to hold séances and summon demons but he ran out of money before he could complete the roof and get a large crystal ball to hang."

"Skeptical much?" Dean asked.

The girl shrugged. "There are so many stories about it I don't think there's any way to know what the Round Room really is – or was meant to be." She leaned the weed-whacker against the fence. "What's your interest in it anyway?"

"We're looking into the girl who went missing," Sam explained.

"So you guys weren't just hiking," the girl commented. "What are you? Cops? FBI?"

Before Sam could answer, Dean jumped in. "Paranormal Investigators," he answered. "We were hoping we could find something the cops missed."

"Unfortunately for you guys, the cops have already been down here asking everyone a bunch of questions."

"So you aren't the white robed cultists we're looking for?" Sam asked teasingly.

The girl shook her head with a smile. "No."

"Sorry we trespassed."

"Oh, that's okay. How are you guys getting back up there?"

Sam and Dean looked at each other. "We'll have to hike back up," Sam answered.

The girl checked her watch. "I can drive you back up there if you want," she offered.

Sam looked at her in surprise. "You would be willing to do that?"

The girl shrugged. "I've got time. And that's one heck of a hike."

"Yeah, we'd really appreciate it."

The girl removed her work gloves and piled everything next to the weed-whacker. Sam offered her his hand. "I'm Sam," he introduced. "This is my brother Dean." Dean nodded in acknowledgement.

The girl took Sam's hand and shook it. "Amanda," she replied.

Sam smiled. "Good to meet you, Amanda."

Amanda smiled and then took off down the road. When she was out of earshot Sam announced, "I like her."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Course you do, Sammy. She's kind and innocent."

Sam glared at Dean and then took off after Amanda. Dean stuffed his hands in his pockets and then followed his brother. When Sam caught up with Amanda he fell in step alongside her. "So how long have you lived here?" he asked.

"Four years," Amanda answered.

"And have you worked here the entire time?"

"Yep."

"Where did you move from?"

"Another small town," Amanda answered evasively.

"Moving from one small town to the next . . . why?" Sam couldn't help asking.

Amanda shrugged. "I just needed to get away," she said. "My sister followed me. We're pretty close. It seems like you and your brother are pretty close too."

Sam smiled. "Yeah, we are. Some would say too close."

Amanda chuckled. "Sometimes family is all you have. My mom used to say friends will come and go but your family is always going to be there."

"How come you're not with your family?" Amanda lowered her head and Sam realized he had pressed too much. "I'm sorry," he quickly apologized.

Amanda shook her head as she looked up at him. "No, it's okay. My parents passed away five years ago."

Now Sam felt really stupid. "I'm sorry," he said again, glancing over his shoulder at Dean. She had lost both her parents like they had. And all she had was her sister – just like all he had was Dean.

They followed a path through the woods, passing another shooting range and crossing over an NID ditch. They eventually came out of the woods and passed by a pool. Following a road up a hill they came to a parking area packed with cars. Amanda led them over to a Jeep Wrangler and they climbed in.

She drove out of camp and around the mountain back to the Round Room. What would have taken a minimum of two hours walking up the mountain took only ten minutes. She stopped next to the Impala and put the Jeep in park. "There you go," she said.

"Thanks." Sam and Dean climbed out of the Jeep.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Amanda asked.

"We'll probably look around some more," Sam answered, "talk to the girl's friends and family."

"Yeah, you know, investigative type stuff," Dean commented. "Look, thanks for the ride, but you should probably get going."

Sam sent his brother a warning look. This girl had been kind enough to help them. She did not deserve the way Dean was acting. He turned back to Amanda, giving her an apologetic smile. "You know, you could stick around if you wanted," he offered.

Amanda cocked her head to one side. "Are you flirting with me, Sam?" she asked.

"What? No, I'm not. I mean . . . you're a nice girl and everything, but . . ." Sam's face turned red as he stumbled over his words.

Amanda suddenly laughed. "I was teasing, Sam, I'm sorry."

Sam cleared his throat and then caught Dean watching with great amusement.

"Thank you for the offer, but I can't stay," Amanda told him, momentarily distracting him. "I really should be getting back."

Sam nodded. "I totally understand."

"Freeze!"

Sam tensed up as Dean turned around to find a man approaching with a shotgun pointed at them. "Let me see your hands!" the man ordered.

Dean, Sam, and Amanda slowly raised their hands so the man could see they were unarmed. The man motioned at Amanda with his gun. "Alright, get out of the car, missy," he ordered. When Amanda didn't move fast enough for his liking, he fired the shotgun, barely missing the Jeep. "Get out of the car!"

"Okay, take it easy!" Sam exclaimed. He opened Amanda's door and then helped her out. "There. See? She's out," he said as he pulled Amanda behind him.

"This is private property," the man said. "What are you doing up here?"

Slowly reaching into his pocket, Dean pulled out his wallet and opened it, showing the man his FBI badge. "Agent Hodgkins," he introduced, "and this is my partner Agent Cross." Sam showed the man his own badge. The man lowered his gun slightly, but he still looked unsure. "We're looking into the missing girl case."

The man nodded at Amanda. "What about her?" he asked.

"She's our local consultant," Dean answered.

Sam slowly lowered his hands. "Do you live around here?" he asked.

"Just down the road," the man answered.

"Do you have any idea what happened to the girl? Have you ever seen anything strange going on at the Round Room?"

"No, everything you hear about this place is a bunch of crap."

Dean looked at Amanda, who raised her hands in defense. "Hey, you know I'm a skeptic," she defended.

"So what do you think happened to the girl?" Dean asked the man.

The man shrugged. "Who knows? People are up here all the time breaking in and partying or vandalizing the place or doing witchcraft. Honestly, anything could have happened to that girl. Those of us who live up here are always boarding up the place trying to keep people off the property."

"Thank you, Sir, I think we have everything we need." Dean looked at Sam and Amanda. "We should get going."

"If you need to come up here again you're more than welcome to," the man told him. "We've been trying to keep the kids out, but police and FBI can come up."

"Thanks, we'll probably be back up sooner or later," Sam said.

The man nodded. "I'll keep an eye out for you."

Sam made sure Amanda got back in her Jeep. "Follow us," he instructed in a low voice. She nodded.

The boys climbed into the Impala and then Dean started up the car, turned it around, and sped down the road with Amanda following close behind in the Jeep.

It was only when they reached the fairgrounds that Dean pulled off. The two vehicles pulled into the parking lot, parking next to each other. "Thanks for the ride," Sam said.

"Thanks for the exciting afternoon," Amanda replied. "It isn't every day I get a shotgun pointed at me."

"And hopefully you never will again."

"Well, good luck with your case. Whoever you guys are." Amanda put the Jeep in gear and then drove away, leaving Dean and Sam behind.

"Charming," Dean commented.

"Yeah, well we weren't exactly truthful with her," Sam remarked.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Dean said. "The least contact with people we have the better."


	3. Chapter 3

Amanda drove back to camp and then went and sat in the dining room in a far, out of the way corner. Her mind began to wander back over the events of that afternoon. Honestly, she didn't know what had possessed her to go with the brothers in the first place.

"Howdy, stranger."

Amanda looked up as her sister Nicole took a seat on the other side of the table. "Hey," she replied.

"Carly mentioned you were quieter than usual today."

Amanda nodded. "You know why."

"Yeah . . . I do." Nicole decided to change the subject. "Have you been here all day?" she asked.

"No, I was weed-whacking up at Wild Oak for a while."

Nicole frowned. "You're weed-whacking on your day off?"

"Well, I can't just sit around all day – especially today. What else was I supposed to do?"

"Oh . . . I don't know . . . do laundry, catch up on some much needed sleep, see a movie, write a book, _visit your sister in the kitchen_."

Amanda laughed. "Oh, I see how it is."

Nicole chuckled. "Pretty much."

"I actually helped a couple hikers get back up to the Round Room."

"How do hikers end up down here?"

"I don't know. Maybe they followed the fire road down."

"What were they doing up there anyway?"

"They're looking into the disappearance of that girl."

Nicole shivered. "I remember hearing about that. I can't even begin to imagine what goes on up there – especially at night." She suddenly looked at Amanda in bewilderment, as if she had just gotten something. "Wait, you took a couple strangers up to the Round Room alone?"

Amanda cleared her throat. "Yep." She had been wondering how long it was going to take Nicole.

Nicole shook her head. "Wow."

She hadn't even heard the half of it.

"So was it a couple or girls or . . ."

"It was some guys."

The look on Nicole's face was priceless. She leaned forward. "Were they good looking?" she asked.

Amanda blushed. "No . . . well, I mean sure . . . what I'm trying to say is . . ."

Nicole laughed. She could still get her sister back.

"It's not like I'll ever see them again," Amanda finally huffed, crossing her arms.

"You never know," Nicole teased.

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Whatever. They were strangers. I realize now I shouldn't have driven them up there without asking someone to go with me."

"Well, you're here," Nicole declared. "Safe. I don't think you have anything to worry about."

Amanda smiled. "What would I do without you?" she asked.

"Crash and burn," Nicole answered with a grin.


	4. Chapter 4

The door to the hotel room opened and Sam and Dean walked in. "Look, I'm just saying it might not be a bad idea to take Amanda with us the next time we go up there," Sam was saying.

"No," Dean remarked. "Absolutely not."

"She knows that place better than we do."

"It's too dangerous."

Sam looked at Dean in surprise. "Too dangerous? Dean, she'll be with us."

"Exactly; if something happened her blood would be on our hands."

Dean never ceased to shock Sam. They needed help, but he wouldn't accept it because it might get dangerous? For crying out loud. It wasn't like they were asking her to follow them into the hunting business.

"We're not taking her with us," Dean said with finality.

With that tone of voice, Sam knew there was nothing he could do or say to change his mind; for the time being. "Okay, fine. Then what are we going to do?" he asked.

"I say we go back up there tonight and see if those robed people decide to do any sacrificing."

Sam sighed. "Fine." They were going to have a long night.

Sam shifted uncomfortably in his spot. Blood flowed back into his legs, sending a tingling sensation up and down his limbs. They had been hiding in some bushes with a clear view of the entrance to the Round Room for six very long hours.

Dean groaned as he stretched out, his cramped limbs protesting. "I'm starting to think nothing's gonna happen tonight, Sammy," he said.

Sam checked the time on his cell phone. It was three in the morning. "I'm gonna have to agree with you," he replied.

Dean stood up, using his shotgun as a cane. "Alright, I'm calling it a night."

The boys walked back to the Impala and then drove back to the hotel where they practically fell into bed in exhaustion.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day they interviewed the friends and family of the missing girl but didn't really learn anything they didn't already know. The girl said she had never been to the Round Room, so of course her friends took her up there at night. As they were telling ghost stories around a campfire they had built in the middle of the pentagram, a bunch of people dressed in white robes suddenly appeared and dragged the girl away. The other kids freaked out, ran for their cars, and high-tailed it out of there. Sam was disgusted. How could no one care to even try to rescue her?

"What do we do now?" Sam asked as they were once again sitting in Starbucks.

"Search the area around the Round Room," Dean suggested. "The cops are getting ready to give up the search, but she has to be up there somewhere – if she's even still alive."

"We should get some back-up," Sam said.

"That's a great idea," Dean agreed. "I'll call Bobby and see if he's free."

"That's not what I meant."

Dean looked at Sam and immediately read his face. "No. No way! Why do you keep bringing that girl up?"

"She knows the area, Dean! We should be using her."

"No."

Sam had to check his temper. "Nothing is going to happen!"

Dean sighed in frustration. "Fine, if you want to bring her along then do it but if anything happens I'm holding you responsible."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Fine." Reaching over, he snatched up the keys to the Impala and then stood up.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Dean asked.

"To talk to Amanda," Sam answered.

"What about me?!"

"You can walk."

Dean watched his brother walk away from him. The nerve of the guy.

Amanda was carrying a bucket of cleaning supplies when she caught sight of Sam coming up the walkway with one of the counselors. "Amanda, someone's here to see you," the counselor announced.

Amanda smiled. "Thanks, Mike."

She and Sam waited until the counselor was out of earshot before saying anything. "Hi," was the first thing Sam said.

"Hi."

"Um . . . look. Dean and I haven't had much luck with the missing girl and we were thinking about searching around the Round Room some more but we don't know the area very well and since you seem to know it, I was wondering if you could help us."

Amanda sighed as she set the bucket down. "I don't know, Sam. I barely know you guys and, honestly, it's a little hard to believe anything you say after you lied about who you are and what you do."

"Believe me, I totally understand," Sam assured her. "Amanda, I want to be honest with you. That's why I came here."

Amanda studied his face. "What does Dean think of all this?" she asked.

Sam shook his head. "Honestly, he doesn't like it."

Amanda leaned against a nearby post. "Okay, first question: is Dean really your brother?"

"Yes, Dean is really my brother."

Amanda nodded "Okay. So what is it you guys do exactly?"

"We are . . . hunters."

"Hunters?"

"Yeah."

Amanda frowned, clearly trying to make the connection between hunting and the missing girl. "What kind of hunters?" she finally asked.

Here it was. "We hunt monsters." Confusion was written all over her face. "You know . . . vampires, ghosts, demons, things that go bump in the night."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"No, no, I'm not."

"What does this have to do with the girl?"

"It sounded like our kind of case," Sam explained.

"So . . . the fake names and badges . . ."

Sam shrugged. "We do whatever we need to do to save peoples' lives."

Amanda rubbed her eyes. "This is so . . ."

"Surreal?" Sam offered.

"Yes."

"Look, I know this is a lot to take in, but we really need your help."

"Right, yeah, you want to look around some more up there?"

Sam nodded. "Yes."

"Even though the cops have picked that area apart?"

"They may have missed something."

Amanda looked down at her hands. "If I do this, my sister comes along with us," she said.

"Fair enough."

"Okay, when do you want to go?"

Sam shrugged. "What are you doing for the rest of the day?


	6. Chapter 6

The Impala once again parked in front of the path leading up to the Round Room and the boys got out.

"Where are they?" Dean asked.

"They'll be here," Sam promised.

Sure enough, a 4-Runner drove up and parked behind the Impala. Amanda and Nicole got out and walked over to the boys.

"Thanks for coming," Sam told Amanda.

Amanda nodded. "This is my sister Nicole. Nicole, this is Sam and Dean."

Dean handed Sam a backpack, ignoring the girls. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah," Sam answered, wishing his brother would grow up. "How do you want to do this?"

Dean shrugged. "Spread out, start looking."

"Okay . . . um, how about you and Amanda search behind the Round Room, and Nicole and I will look across the road," Sam suggested.

Dean glared at him, giving him that silent _you can't be serious _look. Amanda and Nicole glanced at each other. "Fine," Dean said. "Call if you need anything." With that, he took off for the Round Room. Amanda gave Nicole a quick smile and then took off after Dean.

Charming guy," Nicole commented wryly.

"He has his moments."

"I feel sorry for Amanda."

Sam smirked. "Something tells me she can handle him."

"She probably could."

Sam looked around. "Alright, well, let's get going before we lose daylight."

Dean and Amanda scoured behind the Round Room for hours. Not once had either of them said a word to each other. Dean and no interest whatsoever in saying anything to Amanda, and she knew it. While it was a little awkward, she could deal with it. This was just for one day.

Amanda had hardly realized she was ahead of Dean. Somewhere along the way, Dean had stopped to look at something and Amanda had kept going. They were following a trail through some manzanita bushes when Amanda suddenly walked right into a spider's web. She flailed her arms around, desperately trying to pull the sticky substance off her face and hair as Dean silently watched. She caught him grinning and glared. "What?" she snapped.

Dean shook his head, trying to stifle a laugh. "Nothing."

"Yeah, it's real funny."

"Oh, no, it's hilarious."

Amanda swallowed her anger before she did or said something she would later regret. Turning around, she started storming down the trail. Suddenly, Dean reached out and grabbed her arm. She almost punched him. "What?!" she yelled.

While Dean kept his eyes on Amanda, he took his walking stick and stomped it on the ground behind her. Amanda heard a sickening crunch. When Dean showed her the stick, her stomach dropped. "Bear trap," he explained as Amanda looked at the crunched up stick in the claws of the trap. "Nasty little things." He tossed the stick away and then continued down the trail.

Amanda looked up at the sky, silently praying for patience. This was going to be a long day. Suddenly, she heard rocks and dirt sliding up ahead where Dean had been heading. "Dean?" Running down the deer trail they had been following, she came to a sudden stop around a bend. The manzanita stopped at the bend and the trail continued along the side of a steep hill. A section of trail looked like it had crumbled under the weight of something big. Amanda looked down the hill and found Dean about twenty feet down tangled up in some blackberry bushes. "Are you okay?" she called down.

Dean coughed, moving for the first time. "Just peachy," he answered. When he tried to move, however, he couldn't make any progress. "I'm . . . I'm stuck," he grumbled.

"Hang on, I'm coming down." Amanda carefully slid down the hill to a log stuck in the side of the hill just above the blackberry bushes. She surveyed the scene before her, but it was a confusing mix of limbs and branches. Dean was tangled up pretty good. "Can you get out of your jacket?" she tried suggesting.

"I like this jacket," Dean complained.

"We'll get it after we get you out of there," Amanda promised. "Come on."

Dean rolled his eyes but worked out of the jacket and sat up, flinching every once in a while when a thorn stabbed him. Amanda offered her hand and then helped him out. "Ow!" he hissed as the branches ripped away from his jeans. He pulled himself out and stumbled up onto the log Amanda was standing on. "Great," he grumbled. "How are we gonna get my jacket out?"

Amanda carefully climbed into the bushes, gingerly peeling the branches away as she made her way over to the jacket. Grabbing a handful of leather, she yanked it out of the bush. Dean cringed as he heard ripping. "Geeze! Take it easy!" he gasped.

Crumpling up the jacket, Amanda tossed it to him. "You're welcome," she said. Then she slowly worked her way back out. A branch snagged her leg just as she almost made it and it seemed the more she moved the more it entangled itself around her. "Do you have a knife?" she finally asked.

Dean pulled out his hunting knife and handed it to Amanda, then watched as she cut away at the branches. When she finally freed her leg, she returned the knife and then looked around for a way out. Being at least six inches shorter than Dean made it a little more difficult for her to climb up onto the log. Dean finally reached out, offering her his hand. "Take my hand," he instructed. Amanda did and then Dean lifted her up out of the bushes and hugged her to himself so she wouldn't fall back down.

"Thanks," Amanda said.

"No problem, Shorty."

Shorty. They were progressing. He was calling her names now. They clambered up the hill to the trail and quickly crossed over the ridge to more flat, open land. "Well, that was an adventure," Amanda commented.

"Yeah, maybe we should start heading back," Dean suggested. "I can't see the girl being brought this far out."

Amanda nodded thoughtfully. "If we head up the hill, I know of an old house that hasn't been lived in for years. We can try there before we go back."

"Sounds good."

With Amanda in the lead, they left the trail and hiked through the trees. It was slow going. Dean was so turned around he wouldn't be able to find his way out even if his life depended on it. Suddenly, stars exploded across his vision as pain erupted in the back of his head. He fell to his knees, struggling to stay conscious.

Amanda had been thinking about Nicole, wondering how she was doing with Sam when she suddenly heard a dull thud behind her. Turning, she was shocked to see Dean on the ground trying to stay conscious and five figures in white robes standing behind him. One of the robed figures silently approached. Apparently, he thought she was going to go down without a fight.

"Amanda . . . run," Dean gasped as he picked himself up, stumbling like a drunken person.

Amanda didn't have a chance to respond as she was suddenly grabbed from behind by a robed guy. She elbowed him in the stomach as hard as she could. He grunted, his grip on her loosening just enough for her to duck under his arms and spin around, kicking him in the face. He fell to the ground and didn't move. When Amanda turned around, she saw Dean looking at her in shock. With a shrug, she asked, "What?" Suddenly, she heard a click behind her and then felt the barrel of a gun press into the small of her back. Spinning quickly, she snatched the gun out of the guy's hand and aimed it at him. "Are we done here?" she asked in annoyance.

"You wouldn't shoot me," the disarmed guy smirked.

Aiming at the guy's leg, Amanda suddenly fired. The guy screamed in agony as he collapsed to the ground clutching his bleeding leg.

"Put the gun down!"

Amanda looked over and saw Dean in the clutches of two of the figures, another unconscious at his feet. One of the guys holding Dean had a knife pressed up against his throat. He pressed it even harder, causing Dean to flinch. Some people just played so dirty. Amanda slowly put the gun down on the ground and raised her hands in surrender as she stood back up. They were so screwed.


End file.
